Online Tutoring

Welcome to the online tutoring services at the Dutchess Community College Writing Center! You have two options to choose from when you want to work online with one of the Center's professional tutors. However, please note this change in our policy: if you submit a paper for e-mailed comments (Option II), your next submission must be through Option I--a real-time chat with the tutor via Google Docs. Try Option I; we think you'll like it! ****These guidelines do not apply to the summer sessions.

Option I: You can arrange to talk with a tutor about your paper using Google Drive real-time chat. Click here for directions on how to set up an appointment and send your paper to the tutor. Normally, you can expect to get an appointment within 24 hours within the five-day school week, though it might take longer if the Center is busy. If you do not have a Google account, click here to sign up for one. You will need it to use Google Drive real-time tutoring.

Option II: You can submit a paper electronically and have a tutor read and comment on it via e-mail, usually 24 hours or so within the five-day school week, though it might take longer if the Center is busy. Papers turned in after Friday noon will be received Monday morning.*** Students may submit work to the Net Tutor service over the weekend (see the link on the myDCC welcome page) if they wish. ***Summer sessions: papers turned in after Thursday noon will be received Monday.

You will submit with each paper a form providing general information, such as the assignment, instructor (optional), and specific questions or concerns regarding the paper.

Papers are strictly confidential, and the tutor will not share any comments with an instructor without a student’s knowledge or consent. Providing the instructor’s name is simply to help the tutor, who might be familiar with a certain teacher’s assignment.

Once the paper and form are submitted, you can expect a brief e-mail acknowledging receipt of the assignment, usually within a few hours.

Our online tutors aim to replicate, as much as possible, the experience of a face-to-face session in their e-mailed response. To understand what you can expect from the Online Tutor, please read our "Tutoring Services" page on this site.

***Students may request one e-mailed response per week (Option II); additional requests to the Online Tutor that week must be through a scheduled Google Drive appointment (Option I).

Students do not need to have a specific assignment or paper to use this Online Tutor site. With the “Ask the Tutor” link, they can also e-mail general questions about writing, such as how to get started, or about grammar issues. No forms need to be submitted for the “Ask the Tutor” service. Please note that students can also go to the DCC Writing Center’s "Helpful Links" page for online writing resources, or come to the College Writing Center for handouts and on-site study of writing-related books and reference materials.